Chapter 75: Different Worlds (Castle Bonus)

As time passed, the guests at the party gradually began to leave.

"Serina, it’s time to leave."

Nero looked up as General William approached their table. The general spoke to his daughter first, but his attention soon settled on Nero.

"We meet again, Nero Martinez. Come with me for a moment."

Nero swallowed as William placed a hand on his shoulder. Lucas and Lilly looked surprised by the sudden request, while Serina’s expression lost its usual playfulness.

"Yes, General William."

Nero asked Mira to stay with Lilly before following the general toward the windows.

William waited until they were far enough away from the others before speaking.

"I hope you haven’t been getting close to my daughter."

Nero flinched.

Remembering the kisses they had shared made it considerably harder to look her father in the eye.

"No.... nothing like that."

"Good. Then keep it that way. I don’t want you making advances toward her."

William’s expression remained cold.

"My daughter is an angel, and I won’t stand by and watch someone hurt her when I could’ve prevented it."

Nero had expected an uncomfortable conversation, especially after noticing William watching their table. However, he hadn’t expected to be accused before he could even explain himself.

"I know what Talent you awakened. Cellular Reservoir, isn’t it?"

"Yes, that’s right. I’m still learning how to use it."

"Then I’ll make myself clear. You lack the potential to stand alongside the geniuses surrounding my daughter."

Nero stared at him in surprise.

"What do you mean by that, General William?"

"I’ve spent many years in the military and seen more Talents than you could name. I’ve watched promising young Awakeners become powerful figures, while others discovered just how limited their potential truly was."

William spoke with the confidence of someone discussing something he knew for certain.

"Even among those people, my daughter stands out. You know the theory about Talents combining through inheritance, don’t you?"

Nero nodded, although he was beginning to dislike where this conversation was going.

"Then you should understand why I care about whom she chooses. I’ll only accept someone whose potential can stand on equal ground with hers."

The general continued before Nero could respond.

"Being close to her now means nothing if you can’t remain beside her in the future. I won’t allow her to become attached to someone who will only hold her back."

"And you’re certain that’s what I would do?"

The question escaped before Nero could reconsider it.

William studied him for a moment.

"Even Richard Hyperion wouldn’t meet my expectations. His second awakening and additional Talent are impressive, but my daughter’s potential is far greater."

"And you don’t even possess Richard’s qualifications, Nero Martinez. You should understand that before expecting anything from Serina."

"..."

For once, Nero couldn’t think of a reply.

"Her Talent isn’t what appears in her records. Once she discovers its true nature, she’ll become someone far beyond what people currently expect."

Under different circumstances, Nero would’ve been curious about that statement.

Right now, however, he could only think about how confidently William had decided that he would never be worthy of standing beside his daughter.

"Don’t encourage whatever attachment she’s developing toward you. For your own sake, accept that you and my family belong to different worlds."

Nero was speechless.

The general had brought him away from the table just to tell him that he wasn’t good enough!

And judging by William’s attitude, there was no point trying to explain himself. The man had already made up his mind.

At first, Nero felt anxious.

After all, the person standing before him was a respected general with power and influence he could barely imagine.

His first instinct was to agree and end the conversation before things became worse.

However, something about William’s words bothered him.

’Different worlds, huh?’

Those words reminded him of Lyris and the way she had ended their friendship.

She had chosen Richard and made it clear that she no longer wanted Nero involved in her life.

Although it had hurt him, he had respected her decision.

Yet now, William wanted him to stay away from Serina without considering what either of them wanted.

’Who the hell does he think he is?’

Nero was beginning to feel angry.

Before his awakening, he had rarely allowed himself to show that anger.

He remembered the boys at school who used to make jokes about his missing parents while he stood there, unable to defend himself.

He had hated them for it, but he never found the courage to fight back.

And now he was being treated the same way again.

’Why should I listen to him?’

Nero didn’t want to stop talking to Serina.

Sure, she enjoyed teasing him and seemed particularly happy whenever she managed to embarrass him.

But he enjoyed spending time with her too.

’Do I actually like her?’

He hadn’t given it much thought before tonight, but he suspected that he did.

And whatever those feelings might become, he wasn’t going to throw them away simply because her father considered his Talent unimpressive.

William, who had been observing Nero’s silence, finally spoke again.

"I’ll leave you to think about what I’ve said. Treat this as a warning, because you won’t enjoy what happens if I have to take action."

Nero met his eyes without saying a word. He wasn’t scared or anything.

"You don’t know what I’m capable of doing. Don’t put yourself in a position where you have to find out."

With that, William turned and walked back toward the table.

He didn’t regret speaking harshly to someone so young.

Serina had been hurt before when she was a child, and William had no intention of allowing something similar to happen again.

Others could call him unreasonable if they wished. He cared more about protecting his daughter than what some newly awakened boy thought of him.

As far as William was concerned, Nero Martinez wasn’t suitable for Serina.

Meanwhile, Serina watched her father approach before looking past him toward Nero.

She hadn’t heard their conversation, but judging by her father’s expression and Nero’s reaction, she could make a reasonable guess.

’Seriously, Dad...’

She wanted to approach Nero and ask what had happened, but William was already waiting for her to leave.

Trying to comfort Nero in front of him would only make things worse.

With a reluctant sigh, Serina followed her father, giving Nero one last concerned look before leaving.

Nero watched them leave without saying anything.

Several untouched glasses of wine stood on a nearby table. He picked one up and took a sip while thinking about the warning he had just received.

Gradually, a smirk appeared on his face.

’You’re right about one thing, General William. We do belong to different worlds.’

’I’m a High-Human, and you’re an ordinary human. That’s quite a difference, isn’t it?’

Of course, Nero wasn’t foolish enough to challenge William right now.

The general was far stronger than him, and Nero still had trouble controlling his own abilities.

But that didn’t mean things would remain that way forever.

’You think I don’t have potential because of Cellular Reservoir?’

He almost wanted to laugh.

William had judged him based on the little information available in his records, without knowing anything about his High-Human body, Telekinesis or the Choice System.

’One day, you’ll see what makes us different, General. You’ll see what a High-Human can become.’

Nero finished the wine and returned the glass to the table.

He had already decided to change when the System gave him another chance at life.

He hadn’t survived everything since then just to return to being the same coward who agreed with anyone who frightened him.

’If you want to stand against me, then I’ll just have to become strong enough to face you.’

He wasn’t pretending that it would be easy.

His control over Cellular Reservoir was still poor, and even Mira had surpassed him during their first Telekinesis training session.

The girl had managed eight minutes while he had only reached six!

Not to mention, Cellular Reservoir wasn’t particularly impressive by conventional standards.

But so what?

’Just because I’m weak now doesn’t mean I’ll stay weak forever.’

The Choice System had appeared when he was on the brink of death, giving him an opportunity to change his life.

And in barely a week, he had gone from an ordinary human with a Power Index below 1.0 to a High-Human whose Power Index exceeded 2.0 and with two talents at that.

That alone was something he never would’ve believed possible before.

’And I’m just getting started.’

Besides, becoming stronger wasn’t only about proving William wrong.

He still needed to find his missing parents.

That had been his goal long before Serina, Richard, or even the Choice System entered his life.

Somewhere out there were the answers he had been searching for since childhood, and he needed enough strength to find them.

Nero glanced toward the doors through which William had left.

He wouldn’t forget what the general had said tonight, but he wasn’t going to spend the rest of the evening feeling bad because of it either. That was something the old Nero would do.